ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on September 19, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TL'S VALUE NOT ARTIFICIAL
Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti rejected claims that Turkish lira (TL) was appreciated on purpose. Serdengecti stressed that both rate of exchange and interest rates could not be controlled at the same time. He announced that most of people who deposited their money abroad after 2001, started to deposit it in Turkey in the last 6-7 months.
''YOU ARE GOING WELL, BUT HOLD PROGRAM TIGHTER''
As International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank annual meetings have started with some by-activities, the IMF published its world economic outlook report. In this report, IMF praised Turkish government for its progress in economy and asked it to continue the program.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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BRIBE CENSURED
The case on corruption in tenders of the North Sea Zone Command was closed to the press. Officers are also tried in this case. The military court delegation ''unanimously'' decided to close the ongoing trial of 76 suspects on charges of corruption in some tenders of the North Sea Zone Command to the press. A total of 76 suspects, 16 of whom are in prison, are being tried in the case which covers 345 tenders between 1999 and 2002. The indictment prepared by the military chief judge asks imprisonment terms for the suspects changing between 3 and 71 years.
PORTUGUESE LESSON
When Portuguese President Sampaio said that there were problems with the prime minister in his country, but they did not reflect it to the nation, everybody recalled the incident which occurred between President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Bulent Ecevit, the prime minister then, in the National Security Council (NSC) meeting. Sampaio made a statement which included lessons to Turkish leaders who are used to argument between president and prime minister. Sampaio said that he did not share the same view with Portuguese Prime Minister Barroso on Iraq, but that they did not reflect it to the public.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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RETURN VILLAGE DISASTER
Uninterrupted rain in eastern Mus province killed six people from two families who continued to survive in tents after they had returned to their villages as part of the ''Return to Village Project.'' Mother and three children of Cetinbas family who were living in a tent in Derecik village and a husband and a wife in Ilica village died as they were dragged by the flood.
TORTURE AND KURDISH MONITORED
In its first meeting, the Reform Monitoring Group which was formed to monitor the implementation of reforms made in European Union (EU) membership process decided to investigate whether or not necessary work had been launched and exerted regarding broadcasting in Kurdish. The group held its first meeting under chairmanship of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul which was attended by Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and representatives of Secretariat General for EU, Prime Ministry Human Rights Directorate and Human Rights Advisory Board. Gul said that the group would monitor whether or not reforms were put into practice, find out the deficiencies and ask necessary organs to eliminate the deficiencies in its regular monthly meeting. Gul noted that they would monitor the reforms as a whole. However, he said, they would closely monitor issues of torture, mal-treatment, freedom of thought, expression and religion.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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U.S. AMBASSADOR EDELMAN SAYS PKK/KADEK IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman, responding to a question why the United States had not taken concrete step regarding terrorist organization PKK presence in northern Iraq, said that that there were many duties that U.S. forces should fulfil in Iraq and they could not fulfil all duties at one time. Edelman said that they would continue their meetings with Turkish officials. Edelman noted that PKK/KADEK was included in the list of foreign terrorist organizations.
MEETING ON FATE OF 8.5 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS
International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank annual meetings will start tomorrow. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is invited to the meeting as honorary guest. In this meeting, a decision is expected to be made on the schedule of 8.5 billion U.S. dollars in loans to Turkey. Erdogan will have a tete-a-tete meeting with IMF Managing Director Horst Koehler.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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DOORS OF EUROPE WILL NOT BE CLOSED
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder continues to give messages supporting Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process. Schroeder said that Turkey, which signed the Association Agreement 40 years ago, could trust that negotiations would be started. The chancellor noted that Turkey's EU membership would not only be for the benefit of Europe, but also increase security in the Middle East. Schroeder said, ''EU doors will remain open to Turkey after enlargement. Turkey has Association Agreement with the EU for 40 years. Despite fiery discussions in some countries, we will reach the stage of negotiations.'' Schroeder also said, ''Turkey can trust that full membership negotiations will start with the EU. Otherwise, link between unfundamental Islam and European world understanding can't be established and this confidence will be harmed. Turkey's accession will enhance security in the Middle East.''
U.N. DISAGREEMENT IN NSC
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer insists on ''legitimacy'' to send soldiers to Iraq. However, the government doesn't consider the United Nations (U.N.) an obligation for dispatch of soldiers. The National Security Council (NSC) will hold an extraordinary meeting today to discuss Iraq. President Sezer is expected to insist on a U.N. resolution while government members are expected to defend that ''the U.N. is not the constitutional legitimacy condition.'' Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that the NSC would take up all dimensions of the Iraq issue. Asked if the NSC would make a recommendatory decision, Gul said that evaluation process continued. Report prepared by the delegation which held meetings in Iraq will be taken up in the first NSC meeting of the new commanders.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ONE DOCTOR FOR EACH FAMILY
Social security is totally being changed. 70 million people will be taken under umbrella of General Health Insurance. The Labor and Social Security Ministry prepared two draft laws. One foresees replacing the current three retirement system by a single retirement system while the other aims at putting into practice ''General Health Insurance'' which will cover all people. The first draft aims to unite retirement systems including Social Security Agency (SSK), Social Security Agency for the Self-Employed (Bag-Kur) and Pension Fund under the umbrella of ''Retirement Insurance Agency.'' Under the second draft, people who are deprived of health services will be given health service. The draft law foresees freedom of choosing hospitals and doctors to citizens and aims to bring family doctor practice.
SONGUL UNDERSTANDS
Songul Cabuk, a member of the Iraqi Interim Governing Council, gave different messages in Ankara and Kirkuk. Cabuk, who said that ''Turkish soldiers should come to Iraq'' when she was in Ankara, told private NTV channel in Kirkuk that ''they did not want to see soldiers from either Turkey or from any country.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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CENTRAL BANK REDUCES INTEREST RATES, SPRING IN ECONOMY
The Central Bank reduced interest rates for the fifth time this year as it reduced the rates by 3 points yesterday. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) which praised Turkish economy said that the government would reach the 20 percent inflation target. The stock exchange climbed to 13 thousand 419 points due to positive developments and closed the session at its highest level of this year. U.S. investors demanded Turkish bonds.
IRANIAN DRIVER WHO DOESN'T KNOW TURKISH HIGHWAYS HAS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT, KILLING 16
A passenger bus carrying Iranians rolled into a ravine in Dogubayazit town of eastern Agri province, killing 16 Iranians and injuring 36. The bus driven by Riza Maksutof rolled into a ravine around 4.30 a.m. the previous day. Some claimed that the accident happened as the driver slept and the highway was wet due to rainy weather while some claimed that number of traffic accidents in which Iranian drivers were involved in Eastern Anatolia Region increased since those drivers did not obey the rules and know the highways and roads of the region.
(BRC-AÖ) 19.09.2003